Kuroshitsuji III
by Sae Diburn
Summary: Due to recent events that unfolded, Sebastian and Ciel must be together for eternity. But how long can a hellish eternity really last for two demons that refuse to break their silence and refuse to trust each other? "You belong with Ciel, Sebastian. You...You always have."
1. Eternal Butler, Perfect

**Well, I've always personally wanted a Kuroshitsuji III. After hours of research, I concluded that there isn't going to be one despite the scattered rumors throughout the internet. I'm not a very good writer, but I decided that the only way to make myself feel better about the whole no third season thing is to write one for myself. WARNING: This story is based solely on the Black Butler anime (not the manga) and I haven't even watched it for quite some time now, so don't correct me if I do something wrong because I already know that I most likely will. xD Aside from my ranting, I hope you enjoy this story. If you like it, don't hesitate to review. Do it! Please? The more reviews I get - both negative and positive, mind you - the more of my life I waste to continue writing. xD So please, please, please review!**

**By the way, forgive my spacing. I don't know what I'm doing... I can't understand... I'm new to this site xD I'll figure it out along the way I'm sure!**

**I think that's all I need to say for now... Thank you so much for reading! It really means a lot...even if I only end up with one reader... :D**

**By the way, do you like my titles? I think it is quite clever. Because in season one, it was "His Butler, _" and in season two, it was "_ Butler" so my chapters will be called "Eternal Butler, _" See what I did there? Ah? Ah? No? Okay.**

**Disclaimer: Black Butler and all characters belong to their respected owners.**

Eternal Butler, Perfect

* * *

"Sebastian, hurry up with my tea."

"Yes, my lord."

"And, Sebastian? I'm in the mood for…cake. Surprise me as to what flavor."

"Yes, my lord."

There was a pause.

"Why are you staring at me, Sebastian?"

The child turned his chair away from the tall man who stood in front of his desk. The child, Ciel Phantomhive, was clearly upset; his leg rested on his knee, his hand held his cheek, and his frown was larger than usual.

The man said, blankly, "I am awaiting your next command, my lord."

Ciel shot a glare towards the butler. "That will be all, Sebastian. Go away now."

The man bowed lightly and turned. Just as he was about to take a step forward, Ciel muttered to himself, "Honestly, can't you do anything right these days?"

And because Sebastian had been turned away from Ciel, Ciel was unable to detect the sly smirk slowly consuming his butler's face. Yet Sebastian said nothing in response to Ciel acting as though he did not hear him to begin with. He walked away and eventually closed the door behind him.

When Ciel heard the door shut, he was quick to turn his chair back around to make certain that Sebastian was gone. When he decided that he was completely out of sight, he let himself relax.

Ever since Ciel became a demon, Sebastian acted…differently. Ciel was unable to describe it correctly and that frustrated him more than anything.

When he was a human, Sebastian treated him as such, but as a demon? Sebastian was just the perfect butler. He made conversation only related to cooking and cleaning and only spoke when Ciel ordered him to otherwise.

Ciel had always been so accustomed to Sebastian's sarcastic, almost cruel remarks and actions. Why had he suddenly changed? The young demon was angry because he knew nothing. More than anything, though, he was truly concerned about Sebastian. Even so, he masked his concern with frustration and would not admit his soft emotion to anyone, not even himself. He worked Sebastian harder than he ever had before. With no other servants, this meant that Sebastian was in charge of absolutely everything- cooking, cleaning, and taking care of all of Ciel's needs, and for what reason? Most of Sebastian's hard work went to waste. Ciel, like all other demons, did not eat human food – they feasted on souls instead. Even so, Ciel made Sebastian cook as he usually would have. (He still even required his afternoon tea!) With the food Sebastian made, Ciel would simply pretend that he ate it and afterwards order Sebastian to dispose of the untouched food. As for the cleaning, there was no need. The pair constantly traveled from home to home anyway.

In short, Ciel was annoyed, angry, clueless, and concerned all at the same time. He blamed Sebastian entirely.

Ciel, growing bored, looked around the room observing the small details of architecture. The home he and Sebastian rented was modest. He did not like it.

Then, when he least expected it, his perfect butler walked into the room holding a tray of tea and a slice of fluffy golden cake. He placed the tray in front of Ciel and said nothing. He simply stood and awaited Ciel's next command.

Ciel could not bear to even look at his butler's blank face, for just looking at it made him angry. Ciel was angry for a number of reasons: 1. He was unable to figure out why Sebastian was acting so perfectly, 2. he was unable to get him to explain anything to him, and most importantly, 3. there was that delicious cake sitting in front of him and he couldn't so much as bite it!

The child, angry, barked, "I don't want to look at your face, Sebastian." And he crossed his arms to show that he was serious.

Sebastian, remaining ever so emotionless, nodded for a second and later excused himself from the room. When he eventually returned, he wore a large, brown paper bag with two eye holes cut out over his head. Ciel did not realize that Sebastian had been smiling underneath the paper bag the entire time.

"Does this suit your needs, my lord?" inquired Sebastian.

Ciel huffed once. "Do you think this is some sort of game?" he asked as he flung the unsuspecting, entirely innocent cake in Sebastian's direction. Sebastian, with keen instincts, quickly avoided being hit by the cake by simply moving aside. He had avoided a disastrous cake-catastrophe.

"I do not think this is a game, unless that is what you wish for me to think," said Sebastian. "What shall I think, my lord?" For the first time in days, Sebastian expressed actual emotion in his voice. The emotion expressed was anger, but Ciel was too angry himself to recognize it.

Ciel threw a fit. "Take that damn paper bag off your head!" He stood from his seat and slammed his hands on the desk.

"Before I do so, recall that is was you who said that you did not want to see my face. Are you certain you wish for me to remove the paper bag, my lord?"

Ciel breathed deeply and closed his visible eye. "Sebastian," he said, speaking much softer than he had been before.

"Yes, my lord?" asked Sebastian.

Ciel almost apologized. He caught himself before he did, and instead said to his butler, "I'm ready to sleep. Make preparations immediately."

Sleeping was not common amongst demons. It was not necessary, but it was considered pleasant. While Sebastian rarely slept, Ciel slept every night.

And so, the perfect butler dressed Ciel in his sleeping clothes and fixed the bed. He said nothing. At that point, Ciel had already ordered him to remove the paper bag at once, but Sebastian lowered his head to avoid having Ciel look at his face.

He tucked him into bed and asked, "Will that be all, my lord?"

Ciel placed his eye patch on the counter beside him. "Stay in this room until I fall asleep," he said.

There was a pause.

Sebastian placed a hand over his chest and bowed lightly. "Yes, my lord."

The next morning, Ciel woke up late. It was eleven, and he was very upset that Sebastian had not woken him up earlier. He was preparing to call out to him when he, through the corner of his eye, saw Sebastian passed out on a sofa. He slept silently. If not for the occasional stirring, Ciel would have assumed that his perfect butler was dead.

Ciel considered waking Sebastian up immediately but stopped himself before he could.

"He appears famished," he said, taking note of his tired expression. Then, with a scoff and a smirk, he put on his eye patch and exited the room, leaving his butler to continue sleeping.

He wandered in the modest house and could think of nothing to do. An hour or so later, Sebastian woke from his sudden slumber and appeared behind Ciel from out of nowhere.

"My apologies for allowing you to see me in such a weak state, young master," he said before anything else. He bowed his head. "I shall prepare your breakfast," he paused as if realizing how late in the day it was and corrected himself. "I shall prepare your brunch immediately."

"No," said Ciel as he slowly turned to face his butler. He was frowning. "Take the rest of the day off, Sebastian. I've my own important business to attend to today."

Sebastian, intrigued, asked, "Oh? You have yet to even dress yourself, my lord." he said after taking note that Ciel still wore his sleeping clothes.

Ciel's frown grew. "I gave you my orders already, Sebastian." Then, he walked away, leaving Sebastian with nothing left to do but study his own shadow.

It was midday. There would be no afternoon tea to drink, or rather, to not drink. Ciel sat in his room with nothing to do. He still had neglected to dress himself.

Suddenly, his butler appeared at the door. "Sitting on your bed staring into space is what you consider important business, young master?"

Every day, it seemed as though Sebastian's footsteps got quieter and quieter. Today, it was as if they had turned entirely silent. Ciel wondered: did his feet even make contact with the ground when he walked?

So the young demon was very surprised when Sebastian was suddenly standing at his doorway. He hadn't so much as heard him walking in the hallways. Even so, he masked his surprise with amusement. "I gave you an entire day away from me and you cannot stay away. How ungrateful, Sebastian."

"May I come in?" asked Sebastian. Ciel nodded.

He walked in and Ciel noticed that he was no longer bowing his head. Sebastian said to Ciel, "Since I am officially not your butler for the rest of the day, I will refer to you by your name. Do you understand, Ciel?"

Ciel nodded. "Fine." It would take some getting used to, but it was only for a day.

"And since I am officially not your butler for the rest of the day, I suppose I should explain a few things to you."

"Such as?" Ciel asked.

Sebastian boldly invited himself to a seat beside Ciel. He cleared his throat before speaking. "You have yet to reach your full potential as a demon, Ciel. As you are aware, demons do not truly appear in the form of a human. We have what is known as our 'true form' and you have yet to obtain your own."

Ciel nodded. "Continue."

"To obtain your true form, you must learn to let go of your remaining humanity. Do you understand?"

"I don't. Explain."

Sebastian considered how to reword his previous statement. "A part of you refuses to let go of the things that used to make you human."

Ciel said nothing in response.

Sebastian lowered his voice as if a third party were overhearing their private conversation.

_ "You must let go, Ciel."_

"I don't have the foggiest idea as to what I'm holding onto to begin with, Sebastian," said Ciel, oblivious to what Sebastian was talking about.

Sebastian's tone was dark. "I suggest you figure it out before I lose my patience, my lord."

"To what are you referring to, Sebastian? Why have you been acting so...differently?"

The man stood up and bowed lightly. "If you excuse me, young master, I must leave you to attend to your important business. I shall return when you are ready to retire for the day. Farewell for now." And at that, the butler – with his head bowed – left the room, leaving Ciel only to wonder.


	2. Eternal Butler, Distant

Eternal Butler, Distant

* * *

The following day occurred almost completely unaffected by the previous one. Sebastian woke Ciel early, then dressed him, prepared "breakfast," and then went off to complete his regular duties. All the while, Sebastian had yet to raise his lowered head, and he did not even bother to say a single word to his master. And since Sebastian did not say a single word to him – not even so much as a "good morning" – Ciel did not bother to say a single word to him either.

Ciel's butler became distant as though he were becoming a ghost instead of a demon. Young Phantomhive, sitting alone in the small, quaint living room with furniture of white, recalled Sebastian's previous words. He, apparently, had to "let go", but what was there to let go of? All of Ciel's hatred and thirst for revenge, the very things that made him human, were already gone. What else was there to hold onto? He could think of nothing else. The day continued like this; as did the following week.

After days of not speaking with each other, Ciel could no longer take it. While he enjoyed silence, he was unable to bear it for so long. He called out to his butler.

His butler appeared as soon as he was called. Ciel couldn't help but to notice, however, that his distant butler stood farther away from him than he usually would have. Ciel scowled.

"Come closer," he demanded.

Sebastian, seeming as though he were about to protest, said nothing and did as he was told.

Ciel then asked Sebastian, getting straight to the point, "What is there to let go of?"

Sebastian said nothing and kept his head lowered.

"Look at me when I speak to you," spat Ciel.

Sebastian hesitated to raise his head, and in the end, he did not. "Before I do so, my lord, recall that it was you that did not wish to see my face."

"I don't care what I said before. Look at me when I'm speaking."

Sebastian raised his head, but very, very slowly.

"Now then," said Ciel with eyes shut tightly. "Tell me."

"Tell you what, my lord?" asked the butler calmly.

"Tell me what I have to let go of."

Sebastian was silent.

"What are you waiting for?" asked Ciel. "Did I not just give you an order just now?" And at this, his eyes shot open.

In the room, the air was tense and quiet. It was so quiet that Sebastian was able to hear Ciel's breathing, and Ciel Sebastian's.

The fire from the fireplace, however, crackled every so often and dimly lit the room with shadows.

"Do not make me repeat my order," warned Ciel.

Sebastian took a step away from Ciel to distance himself. Then, he said, carefully, "You…must let go of what made you human, young master."

"I know _that_, Sebastian, but what is it specifically?" asked Ciel, taking note of Sebastian's unreadable expression.

"…It is me," said Sebastian abruptly, surprising even himself with his choice of wording.

Ciel said nothing and awaited further explanation.

"I thought that perhaps if I were to distance myself from you, young master, you would be able to let go of how deeply you truly care for me. However, I suppose that by distancing myself, I have accomplished anything _but_. Forgive me, young master, but I haven't a clue as to how you can let go. I may be one hell of a butler, but that does not mean I am capable of controlling your emotions." Sebastian smiled, closed his eyes, and blushed lightly.

"I see," said Ciel. "All I must do is let go of _you_. All I have to do is forget about how much I care for you," Ciel said with a thoughtful gleam in his eye. He smiled very faintly.

Suddenly, darkness began to engulf Ciel. Sebastian made no attempt to distance himself from Ciel once seeing the darkness. He did not as much as flinch. The darkness gradually spread throughout the entire room and eventually consumed the flames of the fire. It was completely dark in the room.

But Sebastian, with his developed, demon eyes, could see the perfect image of Ciel in his true form.

Ciel stared back at Sebastian with his equally developed eyes. It was the first and only time Ciel would see his butler looking truly afraid.

Ciel then said to Sebastian in the darkness, "Letting go of you was not as hard as I expected, Sebastian. Now tell me what our next step is."

Sebastian said, "Now that you have obtained your true form, my lord, we must commence your training to perfect it. We shall begin classes tomorrow. As for the rest of today, I advise you to rest and return to your human form. Staying in your…_current_ form may wear you out at first, as you are not used to it."

Ciel nodded, but after returning to his human form, he lost consciousness.

Sebastian made his way to pick up Ciel and carry him to his bed. Along the way, he looked to Ciel who lay helplessly in his arms.

"Letting go was suspiciously easier for you than I expected, Mr. Phantomhive," remarked Sebastian as he stroked a gloved finger on the sleeping boy's cheek. He frowned as he continued walking with him in the house corridors.

"It is not that I am not flattered that you cared so much about me. I am simply confused as to easy it really was to overcome your petty emotions."

The butler entered the boy's room and placed him gently onto his bed. Then, Sebastian smiled devilishly. "But who am I to question the ways of your cold heart? You are Ciel Phantomhive, after all. I am honored to stay by your side for all eternity." He smiled warmly and placed a hand against his chest while bowing. Afterwards, he blew out the light from the candle that sat on the counter beside Ciel's bed. Immediately after the light from the candle vanished, Sebastian's smile vanished as well.

He did not turn to address the sudden visitor who stood behind him.

"And what brings you here?" Sebastian asked, emotionless.

"Oh, Bassy! I've returned for you my dear!" cried a voice in the darkness.


	3. Eternal Butler, In Shock

Eternal Butler, In Shock

* * *

Late in the night, Ciel was awoken by a shatter of glass. He sat up swiftly with wide eyes. "What was that?" he asked as he unconsciously reached for his eye patch. He put it on and called out to his butler. "Sebastian, come here."

There was no response.

Irritated, Ciel threw his covers aside and got out of bed. He marched out of his room and stormed down the stairs.

"Sebastian!" he called out every so often. More glass was heard shattering as he made his way down to the first floor of the three story house.

When Ciel eventually stood on the final step of the carpeted, spiral staircase, he froze. In front of him, all of the furniture was either turned to their side, upside down, or completely destroyed. Feathers from pillow fluff flew everywhere. Also, Sebastian lay on the ground, motionless. Judging from the fragments of glass around him, Ciel could tell that someone had thrown glass vases at him.

"Sebastian!" cried Ciel as he dashed over to his side. "Get up."

Much to Ciel's surprise, the attacker, a man dressed in all red, was sitting on top of the large, living room chandelier. He swung his legs back and forth from his seat which caused the glass chandelier to move dangerously from side to side.

"What have you done to my Bassy, Ciel Phantomhive?" asked the man. "He's not much of a fighter anymore, is he?" The man wore a grand smile that showed all of his pointed teeth.

"Grell," said Ciel. He glared. "What are you doing here?"

The Reaper jumped off from the chandelier and majestically floated to the ground, hair flowing gently. He spoke with dramatic hand gestures and all. "Oh, Will's finally given me a day off! It's about time you know! I'm a fragile Reaper – like a precious flower! - I can't be working all the time!"

Ciel rolled his eyes.

"And so I thought," continued Grell, "how shall I spend my day? Then, I remembered: that boy, in exchange for my assistance that one time, offered me my Bassy for an entire day! I've come to collect him!"

Suddenly, a gloved hand was grabbing Grell's neck. Standing behind Grell stood Sebastian, choking him slowly.

"Just give the command and I shall dispose of him, young master," said Sebastian.

Meanwhile, Grell was still attempting to speak, but all that would come out were choked sounds.

"Let him go," Ciel said while rubbing his temples. "It is true. I once promised Grell that he could have you for an entire day."

Sebastian, shocked, let go of Grell. He stared at his master as though he were tempted to choke him as well. His eyes were usually narrow, but at that moment, they were wider than he ever allowed them to be. He was speechless.

Grell rubbed his neck all while complaining, "This is how you greet me, Bassy?"

"B-But, young master," Sebastian stuttered, still in shock. "You can't be serious…"

"Unfortunately, I am. I thought that Grell had forgotten our deal, but I suppose he hasn't."

Grell giggled into his coat sleeves in the distance. "When the clock strikes twelve, you're _mine_, Sebastian."

Sebastian grabbed Ciel by his shoulders and said with a trembling voice, "You don't have to do this, my lord. We already had plans for tomorrow, do you not remember? All you must do is give the command, and I can dispose of him."

Ciel smirked. "Actually, no, Sebastian, I _want_ you to spend the day with Grell. I think it might actually be funny."

Sebastian, at that, felt utterly betrayed. He let go of Ciel. He refused to even look at him. He crossed his arms and refused to even look at Grell.

"And just where was I when this deal was made?" he asked to no one in particular.

Ciel did not respond, and Grell did not either. Instead, the two talked about the terms and conditions of the Bassy-Exchange.

"And you'll make him do whatever I want?" asked Grell, squealing with excitement.

Ciel smiled widely. "Fine. Did you catch that, Sebastian? You are to do _whatever_ Grell tells you to do for the entire day."

"Yes, my lord," grumbled Sebastian darkly.

"And I don't want him intentionally hurting me!" said Grell with a pout.

"Understood," said Ciel, smile never fading. "Did you catch that, Sebast-"

_"Yes, my lord."_

"No name calling!" Grell added.

"Did you catch that, Seb-"

"Yes…my lord."

"Return him to me undamaged," Ciel said to Grell as if he were some sort of object. "Not a single scratch on him."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll treat my _Bassy_ with the upmost care."

"There is one more thing, Grell."

"What is it?"

"Do not traumatize him _too_ much. I still need him, you know."

"No promises," said Grell, revealing all those many teeth in that same grand smile.

Sebastian shuddered. The clock struck twelve.


	4. Eternal Butler, Absent

**"Eternal Butler, In the Bassy-Exchange" will be the next chapter. (Meaning it'll be the chapter Sebastian and Grell are together all day xD) I haven't written it yet, so if you have any suggestions don't hesitate to tell me! But please keep it appropriate. ;) xD**

**Without further ado, by far my favorite chapter so far, "Eternal Butler, Absent."**

Eternal Butler, Absent

* * *

Ciel did not sleep for the remainder of the night. Instead, he lay in bed with his eyes wide open.

After Grell had dragged Sebastian away, Ciel indifferently said goodbye to his butler and went back to bed. While in bed, however, he could no longer sleep. Instead, Ciel allowed letting his mind wander for the rest of the night. For the first time since his human-self died, Ciel thought of Elizabeth. How had she reacted, he wondered, once discovering that Ciel Phantomhive, her future husband, was dead? Ciel scoffed at the thought. She must have cried uncontrollably as she always did.

For a split second, Ciel considered what their future wedding would have been like. Lizzy, he knew, would have made certain that their wedding theme would have been something cute and horribly embarrassing. Ciel had never looked forward to a wedding day with Elizabeth, but only because he assumed that either Sebastian would have consumed his soul or he would have died by then. That was why he never entirely allowed himself to open up to Lizzy. He knew that he wouldn't be able to see their wedding day, and he was right.

Ciel turned from one direction to the other on the bed. He stopped thinking of the girl he had left behind. He thought of his past servants. They were always so clumsy and they annoyed him constantly, but not once had Ciel imagined life without them while he was human. What would become of them with no master to serve? Would they stick together? Ciel, for some reason, sincerely hoped that they would. It seemed as though they belonged with each other.

Ciel frowned. Who was left to belong with _him_? Who even belonged with him to begin with? He knew the answer, of course. Bound by an unbreakable contract, the one who always belonged with him was Sebastian Michaelis, his eternal butler. Unfortunately, at the time Ciel felt he needed his butler the most, he was not there. Ciel shivered slightly. Why did his mind choose to dwell on the past on the very night his eternal butler was absent from his bedside?

What was worse was a strange, indescribable pain that numbed Ciel for more than half the night. The pain was physical and it seemed to be eating him alive. He did not know what it was.

When morning came, Ciel rose from his bed and dressed himself. The pain, fortunately enough, had ceased. He had difficulty dressing himself, as he was not used to it, but eventually managed to properly put on his regular, green attire. Afterwards, he went downstairs. After having had a long, bitter night, he wanted to try his best to forget it.

The mess from the battle of the previous night was still there. Ciel would have expected Sebastian to have cleaned it up by then, but since he was no longer with him for the day, he obviously wouldn't have been able to. Ciel turned away from the mess and walked into the kitchen. There, he stared at the inside of the fridge. There was nothing that interested him inside.

He left the kitchen and wandered into his bedroom again. There, he continued looking for something to do. He came across his old walking stick and decided to go outside. He hadn't done so since moving into the house which was almost a month ago. With the walking stick held tightly in his hand, he exited the house.

The weather outside was lovely.

As he observed the décor of the back yard, he noted that Sebastian had been hard at work attempting to imitate the rose garden from the mansion. The imitation, however, was much smaller and needed more time to fully grow. Ciel only shook his head and closed his eyes at the thought. Their current home, after all, was only temporary and so they'd be moving out shortly. Sebastian's work, yet again, had been wasted.

Still very bored, Ciel went off to explore the rose garden in hopes of discovering something interesting.

He found a cat.

At first, he decided that the cat was a stray that had found its way into the garden. He shooed it away, thinking of it only as a pest.

The cat was all black. Its fur was sleek and soft. The eyes stuck out to Ciel the most. One eye was blue while the other was yellow. It was only a kitten, but it was full of love.

The kitten rubbed itself against Ciel's leg and purred. He attempted shaking it away, but it clung onto him with determination. Its thin tail was swishing back and forth on the ground.

Ciel, who had been allergic to cats as a human, assumed that since he was a demon now, he was immune to all of his past allergies. He was not sneezing. Even so, he was never fond of cats. He continued trying to shoo it away.

"Get off me," he said, but the little cat only meowed softly in response. It gently nudged its head against him.

After some time, Ciel gave in and sat beside the kitten. He was alone, and it was alone, so he decided it was time to make a friend for once. It wasn't as if any of the two had anywhere to go, anyway. Ciel petted the kitten's head uncomfortably. Over time, he stroked the kitten's ears more genuinely until the kitten somehow found its way onto Ciel's lap.

When the kitten was in the midst of falling asleep on his lap, Ciel looked down at it. When he did, he noticed that the kitten wore a thin collar. He had missed it before because the collar was black and blended right into the kitten's fur.

"So you aren't a stray," noted Ciel as he made his way past the kitten's fur to the collar. "Could that mean that you belong to…Sebastian?"

Ciel stopped to consider it. That would have explained the random bag of kitty litter he once found hidden underneath his bed that one time. He glared at the cat as if it were Sebastian. "Why would he hide you from me? It makes me wonder what else he hides," remarked Ciel, knowing that he would have to confront Sebastian about it when he returned from the Bassy-Exchange.

Then, solely out of curiosity, Ciel asked the cat, "I wonder what your name could be."

He looked closely to the four letters engraved on the kitten's collar.

The name read, "CIEL."

Ciel, speechless, took note of the kitten's different colored eyes again. He frowned and the cat meowed twice as if it were taunting him.

Then, from out of nowhere, the sudden pain from the previous night returned. The pain, this time, was sharp and stronger. The pain surged through Ciel's body rapidly. He groaned miserably. The kitten leapt out of his lap and scurried away to hide and watch him in the safeness of the shadows.

Ciel stood on weak legs. He reached for his walking stick and stumbled back into the house. The kitten followed him close behind.

Ciel was tempted to call out to his demon butler, but he knew that to do so would have been wasting his breath. It was then when he realized what the pain was. It was what all demons felt eventually. His eyes widened. The pain was hunger.


	5. Eternal Butler, In the Bassy-Exchange

**Thanks to everyone who has reviewed! I don't know how to respond to your reviews, so I'll respond here! 8D Thanks for all the encouragement, yada, yada, yada, but you all aren't here to read my ranting, you're here to (hopefully) read my story! Without further ado, here's "Eternal Butler, In the Bassy-Exchange". I probably won't be updating until a week or so, so...enjoy for now my lovelies!**

Eternal Butler, In the Bassy-Exchange

* * *

"On your knee, Sebastian!" insisted the red haired Reaper.

The demon butler did as he was told, for it was his direct order to do absolutely _everything_ that Grell asked of him.

He got down on the ground on his knee. He looked at Grell and fought urges to brutally murder not only him, but also the young master for getting him into such a mess in the first place. Contract or no contract, it was in that moment when Sebastian decided that he would find a way to get back at the vicious Ciel Phantomhive in one way or another. It was time, he concluded, to have a little fun with the boy, despite the possible consequences. But before he could entirely plan out his revenge, Grell spoke. Sebastian snapped out of his thoughts when hearing his master's next command.

"Ask the question, Bassy!" exclaimed Grell with a light layer of blush on his face. He giggled into the sleeve of the red coat he wore on his arms.

Sebastian took notice of his current position. He was down on his knee and Grell was all giddy. He was well aware of the question he was meant to ask, but instead, he asked, "Shall I tie your shoes, Master Grell?"

Sebastian hid a smile. He had asked a question, therefore doing what he was told. It was not the question that Grell had been referring to, he knew, but it was simply too amusing to not ask.

Grell, enraged, snapped, "Not that question, Bassy! Ask me for my hand in marriage!"

Sebastian resisted shuddering at the thought and instead did as he was told. "Will you marry me, Master Grell?" he asked with no emotion other than disgust and irritation.

"Oh, of course I will, Bassy!" said Grell excitedly as if the marriage proposal were genuine. Sebastian stood straight and Grell jumped onto him and squeezed tightly.

"Say you love me, Bassy!" Grell said dreamily.

Sebastian made no attempt to hug the Reaper in return. "'You love me, Bassy.'" said the butler with a faint grin. Grell's expression was absolutely priceless. Perhaps, considered Sebastian, the day would not be as terrible as he first thought.

"NO, BASSY!" whined Grell, letting him go. "Say that you love me!"

Sebastian followed orders. "'That you love me,'" he said with a brief nod.

"Say I love you," Grell now ordered, more determined than ever to hear the three words escape Sebastian's throat.

Sebastian was momentarily defeated. He did as he was told. "I love you," he said.

But before Grell could entirely fangirl at the three words, Sebastian slyly added, "It is my favorite letter in the English alphabet, you know. You can spell so many words with the letter u. I love u. Do you love u as well, Master Grell?"

"Bassy!" snapped Grell.

"Yes, Master Grell?" asked Sebastian, almost innocently. He no longer hid his smile, for it was simply too funny to not at least smile at.

"Never mind," said Grell impatiently. He attempted to cheer himself up and then said, "You'll admit your true love for me at our wedding. I've never of anything more romantic~!" he sang out.

Sebastian allowed himself to roll his eyes.

"Now then!" said Grell as-a-matter-of-factly. "We must make preparations for our wedding!"

"Weddings take months to prepare," countered Sebastian, smirking. He was only required to obey Grell for the one day, after all.

Grell smiled suspiciously. Sebastian raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?" he asked, to where Grell answered, "I wanted to surprise you, but I suppose I'll have to tell you now! I've _already_ made wedding preparations!"

Sebastian felt cold sweat running down his neck. "Excuse me?" he stammered.

"We'll be married by tomorrow, Bassy!" cheered Grell, throwing himself back onto Sebastian. "Tell me you're glad, Bassy!"

"'You're glad, Bassy,'" repeated Sebastian charmingly.

Grell made a face, but said nothing. Nothing, he decided, would ruin his wedding. Not even the groom himself. Sebastian, however, had other plans in mind.

Grell, who wore a grand, white dress, stood in front of a full length mirror. He stared at himself self-consciously before saying to Sebastian, who sat impatiently, "Tell me the truth, Bassy: does this dress make me look fat?"

"Yes."

"BASSY!"

The butler said, calmly, "Did you not tell me to say the truth, Master Grell?"

Grell grabbed another white dress off the rack and stormed back into the dressing room.

There were many little things that annoyed Sebastian, but on that particular day, he decided that dress shopping had to be the worst of all. Grell had been indecisive for hours. When he _had_ managed to find the "perfect one" as he called it, he declared that it was too puffy literally a minute before purchasing it. Sebastian was forced to wait more, but after wasting so much time, he decided that it was all okay because at that rate, he thought that they wouldn't even have enough time to actually get married.

"Ta da!" Grell exclaimed as he popped out from the dressing room dressed in a lace wedding dress. "Isn't it a beautiful dress, Bassy?"

"It is not," said Sebastian with a smile.

Grell pouted. "I'll never find a dress at this rate!" he cried out in despair. "Sebastian, I order you to find me the perfect dress in no less than ten minutes!"

Sebastian sighed for a brief moment. So much for trying to waste as much time as possible.

He stood and said, "Yes, Master Grell."

Then, he walked off and checked the entire store until finding truly the perfect dress for Grell. What kind of butler would he be, after all, if he were unable to complete such a simple task?

He handed the dress to Grell. "The perfect dress, Master Grell," he announced as Grell marveled upon the dress.

The dress was a soft silver color. It had tiny, white jewels adorning the entire upper half while the lower half was not too slim and not too puffy. It was just right.

When Grell came out of the dressing room wearing the perfect dress, Sebastian didn't even roll his eyes or cringe. The dress actually suited Grell.

"It's beautiful, Bassy!" he cried out. "Now, with this perfect dress, we can finally go on and get married!"

Sebastian winced. He needed to waste more time. "You truly look lovely, Master Grell," he said. "_But…_" he trailed off to build suspense.

Grell frowned. "What is it?"

Sebastian stood from his seat and placed a gloved hand near Grell's neck. "With the dresses' neckline, don't you think you need some sort of a necklace?"

Grell nodded absently. "You're right, Bassy! How could I have been so blind?"

Finding the perfect necklace, according to Grell's logic, was much easier than finding the perfect wedding dress. It was too easy, Sebastian decided.

Grell had fallen in love with the red garnet necklace the moment he walked in through the store. The necklace was naturally the most expensive in the store and had been put out on display.

Grell tried on the necklace and wouldn't stop looking at himself in the mirror.

"Are you certain, Master Grell?" asked Sebastian as he glanced at the clock. There were still a good five hours left before midnight.

"I've already made my choice, Bassy!" said Grell with a giggle. "Doesn't it bring out the color of my eyes?"

Sebastian shook his head in response, but when Grell saw him, he chose to ignore him.

"Now we can get married!" declared Grell. "I bet the guests are already there waiting for us!"

Sebastian could already imagine the humiliation. "_Guests_?" he repeated. "Who on Earth would you invite, and when did you even find the time to send out the invitations!?"

Grell giggled. "It doesn't matter, Bassy! And I only invited a few Reapers, is all."

Sebastian groaned miserably. A few Reapers he knew meant _every single one of them_.

"Oh, don't worry, Bassy!" assured Grell. "I invited your little Ciel Phantomhive as well."

Sebastian, having nothing else to say, merely groaned into his hands. "Not the young master…" he mumbled, speaking more to himself than to Grell.

Grell threw himself onto Sebastian for the third time that day. "Carry me to the wedding, Bassy!" he ordered.

And Sebastian did so.

Sebastian wore one of his regular, black suits. The only real difference in his overall appearance was that he had a red flower in the right chest pocket of his suit. Also, Grell had ordered him to have his long, wild hair slicked back. Sebastian had never been more humiliated in his entire life.

The demon, feeling somewhat ironic for being a demon in a _church_, entered the large building and took note of all the people already there waiting.

He recognized several faces in the large crowd of Reapers. There was William and Ronald and even the Undertaker who stood at front in the place of the priest.

The many Reapers who had attended all sat cluttered together in one half of the church. That side was the side where all of the bride's guests traditionally sat in.

The other half of the church was entirely empty. That side was where Sebastian's guests would have been sitting in. It was all vacant except for the single silhouette of the little boy who sat at the very front row.

Sebastian held a hand to his pink face. Why did his young master, _of all people_, have to attend?

Eventually, Sebastian stood at the front of the church where he awaited Grell. The entire time, he felt Ciel's gaze on him until he eventually began to tease him.

Sebastian noticed that Ciel had managed to dress himself up nicely for the wedding without his assistance. He also noticed that his young master had brought along his kitten. Ciel said nothing about the cat, at the time, but he went on with his taunts as he stroke the animal gently.

"You look like an idiot," he said with a trace of a smile on his face.

"You do," agreed the Undertaker, who stood behind Sebastian. He laughed wildly.

Sebastian did not respond in hopes that if he ignored him, he would stop speaking.

"Tell me, Sebastian: How long have you and Grell known each other?" asked Ciel.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes.

For a rare but short moment, Sebastian saw Ciel laughing.

This immediately lightened the atmosphere. Ciel rarely expressed genuine happiness.

"Do not worry, Sebastian. I won't allow you to be married to Grell," assured Ciel, surprising Sebastian beyond comprehension.

"Why would you do that, young master?" questioned Sebastian.

"I think he took having you for the entire day a bit too far," said Ciel, honestly. "Also, having a butler married to Grell is slightly embarrassing on my part."

"Yes, my lord," said Sebastian, perhaps a bit too quickly.

Ciel nodded briefly. "For now, act as though you have all day and obey Grell. And fix your hair immediately. I'm embarrassed just looking at you."

Before he could do so, however, the church doors burst open. Grell, dressed in full bride attire, entered the room. He held a bouquet of red roses. The Reaper walked slowly to the front of the church as "Here Comes the Bride" began playing.

When Grell eventually reached Sebastian, he whispered, happily, "Bassy!" and the Undertaker began speaking.

"We've gathered here today to watch this unholy matrimony of demon and Reaper. Before they get married, are there any objections? Speak now or forever hold your silence~" he said creepily.

Ciel stood. "I object," he said as the kitten beside him meowed as if it objected as well.

Grell appeared horrified.

"How so?" the Undertaker asked Ciel, clearly indifferent.

"Sebastian is my butler and I refuse to allow him to get into any sort of relationship with anyone while on the job," Ciel explained simply. Then, looking in Grell's direction, he said, "You can have him when he is no longer my butler, so you'll have to wait until then."

Grell, feeling challenged, accepted the terms. "I'll wait until the ends of the earth for my Bassy!"

Then, suddenly, the church bells rang twelve times. Sebastian smirked devilishly. "It is midnight," he said. Then, he looked to Grell and smiled hauntingly.

"Not the face!" insisted Grell, and so, that was exactly where Sebastian punched him and sent him flying off.

"Take me home," ordered Ciel as he picked up the kitten from the seat. He yawned.

Sebastian said, while bowing lightly, "Yes, my lord."

The demon left the church with not a bride in his arms, but instead his young, eternal master. In the distance behind them, Grell called out, "I'll wait for you, Bassy!" as they left.

"You told him that he could have me once I am no longer your butler," said Sebastian with a mischievous smile. "But you _are_ fully aware that I am your_ eternal _butler, correct?"

"Well I obviously know that, Sebastian," said Ciel. "_He_ doesn't."

"You are cruel," remarked Sebastian with a light smile.

"I'm aware," said Ciel, mirroring his smile.

* * *

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	6. Eternal Butler, Nurse

**Wahaha! I've finally updated! xD Thanks for reading this far into the story! No, really, thank you! xD**

* * *

Eternal Butler, Nurse

"Will that be all, young master?" inquired the eternal butler.

"Yes. Go away now, Sebastian," responded his master. He was miserably stretched out on his bed. He had woken up recently, so he had yet to even put on his eye patch.

"Are you certain?" the butler insisted. A delighted, playful smirk had already formed on his face.

"Don't you have floors to scrub?" grumbled Ciel as he hid his face beneath his covers.

"Before I do so, I must be sure that all of your needs have been tended to. You are sick after all, my lord. What kind of butler would I be if–"

"That will be all, Sebastian. Leave me alone."

"…As you wish."

The tall, slim figure headed for the door. His fingers were just curling around the knob when his young master suddenly called his name yet again.

"Sebastian."

The demon twirled around without a moment of pause as if he had been expecting to be called back. "Yes, young master?" he asked.

Ciel uncovered himself. His eyes admitted defeat, but there was a scowl on his face.

"Stay," he ordered sternly.

"Of course," said Sebastian, and he approached his bedside.

"No," said Ciel suddenly. "Go away."

Sebastian, who was very amused at that point, nodded briefly. "I shall."

But before the butler could take a step away, the indecisive Ciel Phantomhive called him back yet again. This cycle of asking to stay and asking to leave had been going on all morning.

"I've made up my mind. You are to stay here with me."

Sebastian smiled almost genuinely. He said half teasingly, "You are not acting like yourself, Mr. Phantomhive."

"Shut up," said Ciel, upset with the fact the Sebastian was right.

Then, Sebastian walked up to Ciel. Along the way, he skillfully removed a single glove off his hand. Then, without any sort of explanation, he placed his ungloved hand on Ciel's forehead. He kept it there for but a brief moment. During that brief moment, he appeared to be lost in thought.

Ciel spoke. Sebastian snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing his master's voice.

"What is it, Sebastian?" Ciel asked.

Sebastian chuckled lightly. "You are burning up, my lord."

"So I have a fever then."

Sebastian nodded. "Yes, but only to put things lightly."

Ciel glared. "What do you mean?"

"We do not catch simple, human fevers, my lord. Instead, we get fevers on much higher scales. The fevers demons get are powerful and painful enough to mess with our _emotions._"

Ciel frowned. "Our emotions you say?"

"Yes. That is why, I am assuming, you could not decide whether or not you wanted me to leave or to stay. Your fever is revealing your long since bottled emotions."

"Such as?" asked Ciel.

Sebastian observed his master for a second. Then, he responded thoughtfully, "If I were to guess, I would say it is your loneliness and fear of abandonment that are being affected." Then, with that same delighted, playful smirk from earlier, he added mockingly, "You do not wish to be alone, my lord. That is why you were requesting I stay beside you. You did not wish for me to end up leaving you, that is why you were requesting for me to leave. You could not make up your mind as to what was worse. _To be completely alone or to be abandoned._"

All Ciel could do was scoff quietly. Even so, he knew that Sebastian was entirely right. But how had he figured him out so easily?

"How long will this demon fever last?" Ciel ended up asking. He was not at all pleased with the inconvenience of it all. That morning was supposed to be the day in which his official demon training was supposed to begin. Originally, demon training was supposed to begin the day before, but it had been postponed due to the Bassy-Exchange. Now, seeing that Ciel was sick, there was no choice but to postpone it yet again.

"Unfortunately, it could last up to twenty-four hours, my lord. And all the while, your…current condition…will get worse."

"I see. And what do you propose to do?"

The eternal butler smiled. "I will tend to you as I always have, young master. After all, if I could not play the role of nurse, what kind of butler would I be?"

Ciel called out weakly to Sebastian. The fever was getting worse. "Sebastian…Come here…"

"Yes, young master?" asked Sebastian as he burst in through the door. He was wearing an apron and held a large wooden spoon. There was blue frosting all over him.

"I don't want the cake anymore, Sebastian," mumbled Ciel. "I can't even eat cake. Why would you even make me that?"

In his mind, he called the young master an ingrate. He _was_ the one, after all, that was complaining to him much earlier about how he was _desperately_ in the mood for cake. Sebastian had gone through so much hard work just to have his master tell him he no longer wanted it! How dare him! But the perfect butler responded, patiently, "I shall dispose of it then." He bowed lightly.

"No!" said Ciel with a gasp. "Don't just get rid of it!"

Sebastian straightened. "What shall I do to it then, my lord?"

"I don't care. Feed it to the cat or something. Now go away." Ciel tossed over and threw the sheets over his face.

Sebastian decided that it was a perfect opportunity to get his revenge on Ciel. Under such circumstances, how could he not? He smiled, ready to have a little bit of fun. He approached Ciel and snatched the covers from him. Ciel nearly shrieked and stared at his butler in shock. He shivered.

"What do you think you are doing?" questioned Ciel angrily. He had been all toasty and warm up until Sebastian took his covers.

"I am simply taking precautions," answered Sebastian slyly. "If you get too hot, the fever might last longer," he explained, and Ciel was completely unaware of the fact that he was making that up.

He folded the covers neatly and placed them on the foot of Ciel's bed as if to mock him. Then, he went to the window and opened the curtains to let in all the blinding sunlight.

Ciel, who complained excessively, demanded, "Close that!" He held his hands to shield his eyes.

"But why ever would I do that, my lord?" asked Sebastian with a haunting smile. "We are demons, not _vampires_. A healthy amount of sunshine cannot harm us."

"Get out, Sebastian," huffed Ciel before burying his face into his pillow.

Sebastian nodded. "As you wish," he said, resisting the urge to laugh.

* * *

Later on, Ciel's condition grew even worse. He had not heard from Sebastian for over an hour and the fever was making his bottled emotions escalate to their highest point.

Ciel Phantomhive was feeling alone and afraid.

"Where is he?" he asked himself as he rolled out of his bed. He struggled to stand after falling on the ground, but when he did, he managed to leave the room in search of his butler.

"Sebastian?" Ciel called out helplessly as he went down the stairs. "Where are you?"

His eyes darted in all directions. His breathing quickened gradually. For the first time in years, he expressed what he had feared for so long.

Hastily assuming that Sebastian had abandoned him just as everyone else had, Ciel sat himself in a corner of the room. He shook slowly.

Then, from nowhere, he felt the presence of a shadow surround him.

He had to look twice to see that it was not a shadow, but instead the presence of his eternal butler.

"My lord," said Sebastian. "What is the matter?"

Ciel took long to realize what had been asked of him. After doing so, he said, "I thought you left."

"But how can I?" soothed Sebastian. "I am bound by contract to remain by your side for all eternity."

Ciel mumbled something. He felt as if his entire body were on flames. The room was still.

"What was that, young master?" asked Sebastian, surprised by the loudness of his own voice.

The boy groaned silently. Then, he said, "I asked if you would even if you weren't bound by contract."

"I do not understand. Would I _what_?" asked Sebastian.

"Would you stay beside me if you weren't bound by eternal contract?" asked Ciel. His voice hardened. "Answer honestly, Sebastian. That's an order."

There was no hesitation in Sebastian's indifferent voice.

"_I would not," he answered simply._

* * *

Ciel began to cool down after that. His temperature progressed into its normal range and he no longer felt consumed by fear of abandonment and loneliness. It was already night time.

The two went on acting as if what Sebastian admitted earlier did not create newfound tension between them both.

"Tomorrow," said Sebastian as he tucked Ciel into bed. "Your demon training begins, my lord."

"No," said Ciel. "I've decided that tomorrow you are to take me back to the Phantomhive Mansion."

Sebastian, appalled with his decision, asked almost immediately, "Why?"

"I wish to see what has become of it."

The butler began to protest. "And if you are seen?"

"I won't be. You will see to that."

"As you wish."

"And, Sebastian? There is one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Fetch me a soul for breakfast tomorrow morning. I am simply famished. And any soul will do. I'm not as picky as you are, you know."

Surprised with the sudden request, Sebastian said nothing.

"Did you hear me, Sebastian?" asked Ciel when his butler did not respond.

"Yes," his butler said finally.

He bowed before his master.

"_Yes, my lord."_


	7. Eternal Butler, Nostalgia

******Haha. I've updated with the next "episode." _Eternal Butler, Nostalgia. _**Don't forget to tell the author (goodness gracious golly goodness! That's ME! XD) what you think in the reviews section! I check reviews often (every single day because I'm a loser like that ;-; ) So, um, yeah! Review if you like it. (You could send me a message too if you want! About anything! I never get any messages ;_; ) Otherwise I just assume I'm talking to myself in these little Author's Notes and I assume that no one really bothers to read this story. So um, without further ado, BAM! NEXT EPISODE! :D

**Sorry, yet again, for my rambling. xD Thanks for being patient enough to make it this far and please enjoy the story.**

Eternal Butler, Nostalgia

That night, as Ciel slept, Sebastian went out in the darkness of the night in search of a soul.

Taking souls from humans was not as simple as Ciel made it out to be. Gaining souls required time consuming contracts. How would the butler be able to find his master a soul before the sun rose?

"But what kind of butler would I be," asked Sebastian as he lurked through the shadows of the night, "if I could not do something as simple as fetching breakfast for my master?"

Meanwhile, in the small, temporary home, Ciel lay in bed with his eyes open. He was not feeling at all tired. All he could think of was what Sebastian had admitted to him. If Sebastian were not bound by eternal contract, he would not stay beside him. Ciel understood, of course, why he wouldn't want to. Demons were not meant to stay serving their prey for all eternity. Even so, he couldn't help but to wish that Sebastian _wanted_ to be with him.

He turned over to his side and stared at nothing in particular.

Ironically enough, in all of his life, Ciel Phantomhive had never felt more human.

* * *

That morning, Sebastian presented Ciel with a cup of tea and miraculously enough, an unconscious man with a soul ready to be eaten.

"I did not kill him," Sebastian explained, "because souls taste better fresh, my lord."

Ciel made no effort to eat the soul. Instead, he reached immediately for the cup of tea. "Have you made preparations to take me back to the mansion?" he asked, eyes closed.

"Yes," said Sebastian. "But perhaps you did not hear me. I went through an entire night's worth of trouble to fetch you this soul. I suggest eating before he gains consciousness."

"I don't want it anymore," said Ciel with no clear explanation as to why not.

Sebastian frowned. Rather than saying what was on his mind, he said calmly, "I understand, young master. Shall I dispose of it?"

"Why don't you have it for yourself?" asked Ciel, stretching and yawning in between words. "You haven't eaten for some time, correct?"

Sebastian shook his head. "Forgive me, young master, but I am, as you called me yesterday, a _picky eater_. I would rather not."

"Whatever then. Do with him what you want," instructed Ciel.

"Yes, my lord," said Sebastian, eyes slightly more narrow than usual.

* * *

Sebastian, who ended up letting the man go, sat in the driver's coach of a horse drawn carriage. The pair of demons, it was decided, would be leaving their temporary, modest home forever. After visiting the mansion, they would find another home, so long as it was suitable for Ciel's demon training.

Ciel sat inside the carriage wearing his usual going-out clothes. He had the kitten, Little Ciel, in his lap and had been stroking its fur. He had grown somewhat fond of that cat.

He sat impatiently, wondering what had become of the home of his memories. Had his servants burned it down to the ground as he had suggested? Why had he even suggested that?!

Sebastian, meanwhile, thought only of how Ciel had refused to eat the soul he had found for him. What he had neglected to ever tell Ciel was that, even while he had long since lost his human soul, a part of him was still "human." Ciel would continue being part human until he devoured his first soul. Only then would he become a true demon.

Sebastian had stopped worrying about Ciel being _too_ human long ago when he witnessed how easily he was able to obtain his true form. He went on assuming that Ciel would be able to become a true demon with ease. Even so, now more than ever, he was concerned. If his master refused to eat a soul, he would never become a true demon. And, more importantly, if Ciel wouldn't stop thinking of himself as human, how could he ever accept the fact that he was a demon? What Sebastian worried about most was the uncertainty of how long Ciel's body could endure being both demon and human at the same time. How much longer could he really take it?

Ciel not only refused to eat a soul, but he also _acted_ as if he were human. He slept every night, pretended to eat and drink human food, and he was still clinging onto human thoughts.

Sebastian, as he guided the horses in the direction of the mansion, decided that he was in need of a plan. His young master had yet to let go of all the things that had made him once human. If not, just what would become of him?

The mansion was just a little over a few streets ahead. Since it had been decided that Ciel and his eternal butler would leave their carriage out of sight from the mansion, Sebastian stopped the carriage before getting too close.

He went over to open the door of the carriage as if nothing was wrong.

"We will walk from here, young master," said Sebastian as Ciel stepped out. The kitten meowed and leapt out after him.

Sebastian smiled genuinely upon seeing the small kitten. It was simply so cute.

Ciel, not wanting to admit that he too had gotten attached to the kitten, faked annoyance. "Sebastian, leave that cat in the carriage," he said.

Sebastian refused to do so. "Ah, but young master," he insisted. "Little Ciel needs the fresh air. Please, allow me to bring him along."

"Oh yes, and another thing," said Ciel, as if he were reminded of something. "For future reference, do not go and name any other animals after me. Is that understood?"

Sebastian frowned slightly. "…Yes, my lord," he said, almost sadly.

Ciel nodded. "Well, fine then. You can bring it along, so long as it isn't a nuisance."

The two figures, accompanied by Little Ciel, walked in the direction of the mansion.

"Young master," said Sebastian along the way. "When will you be ready to taste your first soul?" He acted as though the question was causal and as if it were not lingering heavily on his mind.

"Later," answered Ciel simply, and that was that.

Upon reaching the mansion, Ciel found himself relieved. The image of the mansion was identical to the one from his memories. It was not burned down to the ground.

"I shall go inside and find out what has happened inside the mansion from the point of your 'departure' up until now. You, young master, shall wait for me outside. Keep quiet in here," – he opened a door to a small, wooden shed – "and wait for me to come back for you. We simply cannot have anyone see you."

"I've never seen this shed," said Ciel as he stepped into it. "How long has it been here?"

Sebastian handed his master Little Ciel. "I used this shed for more personal affairs when you were human," explained Sebastian. "Little Ciel shall keep you company until I return. Farewell for now, Mr. Phantomhive."

"What do you mean 'personal affairs?'" asked Ciel, confused.

Sebastian held a finger to his mouth. "Stay quiet," he instructed. "We cannot have anyone thinking you came back from the dead, my lord."

"What did you mean, Sebastian?" asked Ciel again, but by then, Sebastian had slammed the door shut.

Ciel scoffed and looked around, determined to find out for himself what the purpose of the shed was.

After exploring the small area, he discovered balls of yarn, water dishes, and catnip.

He instinctively held a hand to his forehead.

"You idiot," he mumbled, embarrassed for but a second to call that butler his own. He wondered how many cats Sebastian had hidden from him over the two year period.

Sebastian, meanwhile, knocked on the front door of the mansion. The person on the other side of the door was a woman he had met at least once or twice before. She recognized him almost instantly. After all, how could you ever forget a character like Sebastian?

"Mr. Sebastian!" the woman said, shocked to see him after his sudden disappearance. He had, after all, disappeared shortly after Ciel's "death." She held two hands to her mouth and stared as he were a ghost.

Sebastian smiled kindly. "Good morning, Miss Paula," he greeted. "May I come in?"

"Of course," she said, stepping aside for him to enter. "Lady Elizabeth isn't home now," she added, almost nervously. "Have you come to visit her?"

"Ah, so it is Lady Elizabeth who resides here now," Sebastian remarked to himself. The he looked to the brown haired woman and answered, "Actually, I've returned simply out of curiosity." He looked to a couch and asked, "May I?" before sitting.

"Of course," said Paula, sitting on the couch directly across from his.

"You said you returned out of curiosity," said Paula. "What are you curious about?"

"Well," said Sebastian as he situated himself into his seat. "Simply the affairs of the mansion, I suppose."

"The servants left behind tended to the mansion as they usually would have for a while. Then, they invited Miss Elizabeth to stay here. They said she should live here because it's where she would have lived anyways if she and Ciel had gotten married. Then, three of them said they were leaving. Going on an 'adventure' they said. They just left this morning, actually. They're an interesting bunch, aren't they?"

Sebastian sighed. "Yes, but a great deal of patience is needed to deal with them."

Paula laughed quietly into her hand. "I suppose. But the other one, Tanaka, he stayed behind. I don't know what to do with him! All he does is drink tea and go 'Ho, ho, ho!' all day long! What do I do with him, Mr. Sebastian?"

Sebastian smiled warmly. "Do not mind Tanaka," he said. "He's actually the hardest worker out of the bunch."

"I see… Did you want to wait for Lady Elizabeth to return? Can I get you some tea?"

He shook his head. "I should be going soon. I've things to attend to."

"Mr. Sebastian, before you leave, can I ask you a few things?" she asked suddenly.

He thought about Ciel who was still waiting for him. Deciding that he would be able to wait just a little bit longer in that shed, he answered, "But of course."

Paula straightened in her seat. "Why weren't you at Ciel's funeral service? From what Elizabeth has always told me, you followed Ciel around like a shadow. Why weren't you there?"

Sebastian considered it. "I suppose I had other things to do that day," he said. _Such as?_ He thought to himself. _I do believe that was the day I was polishing the silver._

"And where did you disappear off to up until now?"

"I am a butler. When I lose one master, I find another," explained Sebastian. He was referring to his new master being the demon version of Ciel rather than the human version.

Paula nodded, though it seemed she did not understand. "You found a new master already?"

"Yes."

"Ho, ho, ho!" laughed a voice suddenly.

Sebastian did not as much as flinch. He merely looked to his side. There sat none other than Tanaka, cheerfully drinking his tea.

"Hello, Tanaka," he said calmly, glad to see him for what he assumed to be the absolute last time.

Tanaka took a large sip from his drink.

Paula smiled lightly. "Are you sure you don't want something, Mr. Sebastian? I just made cookies."

"I suppose I can stay for cookies," said Sebastian, only to be polite.

"Wait right here then!" Paula said, jumping up from her seat and rushing into the kitchen. She was obviously excited to have company other than Tanaka.

And almost as soon as Paula left the room, Tanaka became "real."

He greeted Sebastian with an old, tired smile. "Hello, Sebastian," he said. "It has been a while."

Sebastian nodded briefly. "Indeed."

"How is Ciel?" the old butler asked suddenly.

The demon butler was more than surprised with the simple, three words asked of him. He responded, confused, "Ciel is dead, Tanaka."

The old butler took Paula's seat. He sighed lightly. "You may be wondering why I chose to stay behind living in this mansion even while all the others left," he said, admiring the living room with his smile. "Everything and everyone belong somewhere," he continued.

"I belong in this mansion. I always have, from the time I served Vincent and Rachael Phantomhive to the time I served Ciel. I have always belonged here. As for you? You…you belong with Ciel, Sebastian, the same way he belongs with you. I can tell, just by looking at you, that you're still with him, aren't you?"

"…_Yes."_

Tanaka smiled and closed his eyes. He appeared to be happy. "That's good… how it should be. How it was always supposed to be…" he said, before "transforming" back into his _other_ state of being.

"Ho, ho, ho!" he said.

Soon after, Paula came in through the doors with an entire platter of cookies.

"I'm actually so glad that you came!" she said, rushing up to him. "I was worried that all these cookies would go to waste! Lizzy and I can't eat so many, and Tanaka won't have a single one! I miss the people in this mansion. Without the other three, it's like a ghost town! Oh, Mr. Sebastian, are you staying for the night? That would be okay! There are many rooms you know, many, many, _many_ rooms…"

Sebastian shook his head, finding himself still speechless from what Tanaka told him. "Actually, I think that I should be leaving now." He stood, took a single cookie, and bowed lightly. "Thank you for having me."

Then, to Paula's great dismay, he headed for the door.

"But, Mr. Sebastian," Paula called out, cookie tray in hands. "You can't leave me all alonewith_ Tanaka!"_

"_Ho, ho, ho!"_

Sebastian did not turn back. He walked out of the mansion in the direction of the shed.

"The mansion remains unchanged," he said to himself. "But I still cannot believe how easily Tanaka was able to figure everything out. It makes me wonder: what _else_ might have he known?"

When he finally got to the shed, he let a gasp.

Inside, Ciel was holding a girl in his arms. His expression was unreadable while she seemed to be asleep in his arms. She was still, unmoving. Smiling.

_Lady Elizabeth._


End file.
